Emulsified lipids: formulation and control of end-use properties

In many practical applications including foods, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, etc., lipids are emulsified in an aqueous phase in the presence of surface-active molecules and other additives like thickening/gelling agents. Once fabricated, the emulsions may exhibit all kinds of rheological behaviors from viscous fluid to elastic pastes, and transitions: reversible phase transitions as a result of droplet interactions that may be modified to a large extent, and irreversible transitions that generally involve their destruction. Besides the predominance of empiricism in controlling most of the end-use properties, the scientific background of emulsions is progressing. In this paper we aim to review some advances concerning the control of the structure, the texture (rheological properties) and the ageing of emulsions.